I had returned from work where I needed to get some of my documents back home since Iris had decided to treat me this way, it was fine. But it was better she kept it at the back of her mind that I was coming back…not just coming back for the sake of it, but coming back stronger. She had better be prepared for me.I went into our room, mine and Sebastian's, but he was nowhere to be found. He must have been really occupied since his usual close hour was six PM. I wanted to call…besides I wasn't his real wife per se, so I had to quit acting like one. Bro could come home anytime he wishes. Perhaps he'd doing some shit with some girls.Who cares?I undressed and did my thing in the shower, stepping out felt like a burden was lifted from my shoulders. But before I knew it, dressed in my skimpy nightgown, I dozed off only to be awakened by a yell.My eyelids fluttered open. No one was in the room. Where could the voice be from them? I got up, drawing nigh to the door only to discover it was
Sebastian's POV I shut the door in her face. I know nothing in particular about this so-called Iris of a girl, but from the proposals she'd been making and Natalie's perception of her, was enough reason for me to think she was up to no good. “What did she say, Sebastian?” Natalie’s voice came from behind me, cutting through my thoughts. I turned to see her standing in the kitchen, her face etched with curiosity and concern.“Nothing important,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Just the usual nonsense.”Natalie’s eyes narrowed. “Usual nonsense?. Did something happen? Something must have definitely happened.”I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “She was just demanding something from me. Nothing I want to deal with right now. Let’s just focus on breakfast, please.”I could see the frustration in Natalie’s eyes, but she nodded and turned to the kitchen. The smell of pasta filled the kitchen, with the aroma of fresh coffee. It wasn’t the usual breakfast I’d expect, but at least sh
Natalie's POV I got up the next morning prepared to meet with Sebastian’s mother. He had told me last night that his mother was returning from England - she had been on a business trip and she was finally home. So we would be going to pick her up from the airport and we'll all have dinner together. At least, a chance to introduce myself to her. Heww, this marriage of a thing would cost me a lot.“Oh, my…you look so beautiful.” a voice intruded my thoughts. It was Sebastian. I put on the second pair of earrings, and adjusted my red dinner dress. “Oh, stop with your flattery.” I wasn't in for all that. He was infamous for being the seductive billionaire CEO. How in hell would I take him seriously?“I'm damn serious.” He jumped on the bed, roughing the bed I had made this morning. A childlike anger filled me. “Why did you do that? You know I hate seeing the bed scattered. Fix it up.” I yelled.“No need to raise your voice, kitten. Come here.” “What?” “I said, come here.” What was
Natalie's POV.I thought dinner with Sebastian's mother would be something pleasant and memorable, oh well I thought wrong. From the moment I saw her, I knew something wasn't right. She wasn't polite enough and there was this tension I couldn't shake. And there was Genevieve, Sebastian's sister, she was a thorn in the flesh.She sat at the head of the table, her actions cold and stiff. The moment our eyes met, I could feel her resentment towards me. I wasn't sure why, but she made zero effort to hide her disdain. It was obvious to everyone she didn't like me.And I must say, even though I am that person who cared less about people's perception of me, I cared about hers this time. “So, you’re the new wife,” she said, her voice sharp like a knife. “How does it feel to be part of this family?”I forced a smile, even though her words made me uncomfortable. “I’m grateful for the opportunity,” I replied, trying to sound polite.Her lips curled into a small, cold smile. “I see.”We are the
Sebastian's POV I had to reach out to Iris. She had kept on with her pressures and at times I sat to wonder why she controlled me with her threats. And why did I seem to care? Yeah, well, it had to do with one's life, so I was bound to care.I battled with the thought to tell or not tell Natalie the truth. To get things straight, I would not for anything accommodate the thought of even having a thing to do with Iris. Not now, not ever. I looked down at my shoes; they were untied. Plus, I was already late for the meeting by nine. I was about to bend over when a handheld me.“Let me do that.” She smiled. It was Natalie.A chill ran down my spine as I felt a sting in my chest. I thought she was still fast asleep.She bent down slowly and grabbed the shoelaces. Slowly, she crossed one lace over the other, pulling them tight. Her fingers worked quickly to make a knot, then she pulled the shoes to check if they were tied well.She seemed to be a master.“You would make a name for yourself
Natalie's POV.I had rushed out as soon as Sebastian left, to see Iris. She needed to explain more about what she had said to me last night. To God who made me, I found it pretty hard to sleep even after I had refreshed myself.The words kept on playing…”Tell Sebastian to meet me at the hotel.” For crying out loud, who says that? I know I wasn't in the position to choose who he had sex with, but this was my man, at least in the public eye and I had to make her believe I was really married.She had taken enough from me, not this one.I reached my former house and a turmoil of nostalgia filled my head till its brim. I had once belonged here. This was my home, my treasure, now it had been taken away from me. But I wouldn't just back down. I was in to make things work out for me. My hands were in my hands and I'd make sure I got it back at all costs.I stepped foot into the house and the first person whom I caught sight of was and hadn't expected to see was Alfred - the power hungry milli
Natalie’s POVI unconsciously dropped my phone to the floor, my hands trembling at the unexpected heartbreaking news. No, no. it was impossible. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t have possibly been in an accident. But it was real. Every cell in me paused for as long as I could remember. I could no longer control my breathing and everything around me seemed to be spinning. No, it couldn’t be possible. Untried to over but remained stagnant. Oh, how I feared death. It was almost the same hang that happened to my father ND how. Shit, I couldn’t be thinking negatively. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to see to know if he was dead or alive. I balled my sweaty palms into a fist. I shifted my eyes to Iris who just stood there. I saw the perplexion in her eyes. I felt it, but she tried to hide it. She wanted to ask what the matter was and who was in the accident, but our relationship didn’t permit it. Plus, it was none of her business to know who was in an accident or who was not. She could go meet h
Sebastian's POV.My vision was blurry, all I could see were rainbow-like, unclear colors that almost blinded me. The whole room smells like death, cold and heavy, making the air feel thick around me. I felt like I was dying all over again, like the grim reaper was close. Then suddenly, I felt something wet drop on the top of my hand, soft but startling.I reacted with a slight jolt, my muscles weak and stiff. I tried to force my eyes open, but they felt so heavy. It was like they were glued shut, more than I could control. My body was aching, my mind foggy. Slowly, the realization hit me—I was in a hospital. The beeping machines, the sterile smell, it all made sense now.I finally managed to open my eyes, and there she was—Natalie. She was sitting at the edge of the bed, her face wet with tears. My kitten, my strong, fiery Natalie, is now sitting there, crying for me. When did she start caring this much about me? It wasn’t like she knew me that well. We were still strangers in so man
The cold night air hit my face as I stepped outside the hospital. The chaos from earlier had faded, leaving behind an eerie quiet. My body felt heavy, my mind even heavier.I should have felt relief.Iris and Samantha were in police custody. They wouldn’t be able to hurt Natalie again. The nightmare should have been over.But it wasn’t.Something inside me wouldn’t rest.I stood near the entrance, watching as the police officers led the two women to the waiting patrol car. Samantha fought against their grip, her wild eyes burning with rage."You think this is over?!" she screamed, twisting in the officer’s hold. "You think you’ve won, Sebastian?! You have no idea what’s coming!"Iris, on the other hand, didn’t say a word. She simply walked forward, her face blank. But I knew better.She was calculating.Planning.Waiting for the right moment.The officers shoved them into the car and s
Sebastian’s POVThe second I stepped into that place, I knew something was wrong.The air was damp, thick with the smell of dust and something metallic - blood. My fists clenched at my sides as my eyes swept across the dimly lit space. A warehouse. Abandoned, judging by the broken crates and rusted chains hanging from the ceiling. My pulse pounded in my ears, louder than my own footsteps as I moved forward.Natalie was here.She had to be.And if they had touched her -God help them.A low, taunting laugh echoed through the space. I froze.Then, a voice. Smooth. Cold. Familiar.“I was wondering when you’d get here.”I turned sharply, my muscles coiled, ready to strike. From the shadows, a figure stepped forward - Iris.She looked at me with suprise, arms folded, eyes gleaming with something dark. Like she had been expecting me. Like she was enjoying this.“Where is she?” My voice came o
The first thing I noticed was the cold.It wrapped around me, heavy and unforgiving. The air smelled damp, thick with dust and something metallic. My body ached, my head pounding like a hammer was inside it. When I tried to move, my arms wouldn’t even budge.Panic crawled up my throat.I forced my eyes open.Darkness.A single dim light flickered above, its glow barely reaching the corners of the room. The walls were made of concrete, cracked and stained with things I didn’t want to think about. My breath came out in short, shallow gasps, fogging up the cold air.I tried to move again, but something tugged at my wrists.Tied.My arms were pulled behind me, thick ropes digging into my skin. My ankles were bound too, tight enough that I could feel the circulation slowing.I swallowed hard. My mouth was dry, my throat sore.The last thing I remembered was answering Sebastian’s call. Then the door
The moment Natalie hung up, I was already moving.My car roared to life as I slammed my foot on the gas, gripping the wheel so hard that my knuckles turned white. The city lights blurred past me, streaks of yellow and red against the night. My mind raced faster than the car, faster than the panic crawling up my throat.What could possibly had gone wrong?Who was there?Did Samantha and Iris get to find where we stay? Shit.She had whispered, "They're here."Now, she wasn’t picking up.I dialed her number again. One ring. Two. Straight to voicemail.A curse slipped from my lips - fuck. I pressed harder on the gas, ignoring the honks of angry drivers as I weaved through traffic. The streets felt endless, stretching longer than they should, as if the universe was playing a cruel trick on me. But I kept going.The apartment we had rented came into view - a small, old building at the cor
Chapter 85 – Natalie’s POVI walked fast, my heartbeat pounding too loud in my ears. It was like my heart was screaming, "Be afraid! Be afraid!" The streetlights flickered above me, casting long, fearful shadows on the empty pavement. Every few seconds, I glanced nervously over my shoulder. He was still there. The man. The one who had been following me for the last ten minutes.At first, I thought it was just my imagination. But now, I was sure. He was following me. His slow steps matched mine, always keeping a distance. I couldn't see his face clearly, but his eyes seemed to gleam in the dark. My skin crawled with fear.So women weren't safe walking alone on the streets anymore?I quickened my pace, my breath catching in my throat. The streets were deserted, and the only sound was the echo of our footsteps. I felt trapped, alone, and scared. Why was he following me? What did he want?I took a sharp turn into a side alley, hoping to
I knew what I had to do. Sebastian had done his part. He had backed them into a corner. But it wasn’t over. There were still two people left. Iris and Samantha. They were careful. Too careful. But I had learned something important. Even the smartest people slip when they are afraid. I took a deep breath and checked my phone. Iris first. --- Iris I chose the café on purpose. Public. Bright. Safe. People talked here, laughed here. But behind the smiles and clinking cups, things could get ugly. Iris walked in exactly three minutes late. Always controlled. Always polished. She wore a beige blazer, matching heels, and sunglasses she didn’t need. She spotted me and walked over, her steps sharp. "Natalie," she greeted, sitting across from me. Her lips curled into a small, fake smile. "It’s been a while." I sipped my coffee. "It has." She
I sat at the table, my fingers tapping lightly against the wood. The room was small and smelled of dust. A single bulb flickered over on the floor, casting weak shadows on the walls. The air felt thick, like something heavy was pressing down on my chest.Natalie stood by the window, her arms crossed tight. She didn’t say a word, but I could feel her eyes on me. The room was quiet, too quiet. Outside, cars passed, their lights flashing through the glass. She looked like she wanted to speak but held back. Her fingers gripped her sleeves, and her lips pressed into a thin line. The air between us felt heavy, full of things unsaid. I tapped my fingers on the desk, waiting. Finally, I sighed. “Just say it, Natalie.”"You don’t have to do this," she said at last. Her voice was calm, but there was something tight in it.I didn’t look at her. Instead, I stared at the black folder on the table. Inside it was everything. Every secret. Every lie. Every crime they had
The weight of everything sat heavy on my shoulders. My mother’s betrayal, my stepfather’s schemes, and the way my entire world had crumbled right in front of me -it was too much.But I wasn’t going to sit back and do nothing.I sat at my desk, staring at the dim glow of the lamp. The room felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in on me. Natalie sat across from me, her eyes filled with worry, but she didn’t say anything. She just watched, waiting for me to speak.I finally exhaled, tapping my fingers against the desk. “I can’t let this go.”Natalie frowned. “Sebastian—”“No,” I cut in. “Don’t tell me to let it go, Natalie. You heard what she said. She did this to me. She ruined me. And she doesn’t even care.” My jaw tightened as anger surged through me again.Natalie sighed, shifting in her chair. “I know. I know how much this hurts you. But revenge-”“This isn’t just revenge,” I said sharply. “This is justice.”
The room was silent, except for the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.I stood frozen at the doorway, gripping the wooden frame for support. My breath hitched, and my stomach twisted as I tried to process everything I had just heard.Sebastian’s mother-his own mother -had betrayed him. She had admitted it without a trace of guilt, without even flinching. She had planned his downfall, worked with the very man who had tried to destroy him, and she had done it because of me.I swallowed hard, my throat dry.Sebastian sat behind his desk, his head in his hands, his shoulders stiff. He hadn’t noticed me yet. Or maybe he had, and he was just too overwhelmed to acknowledge my presence. I had never seen him like this before—so broken, so defeated.I took a shaky step forward. “Sebastian?”His body jerked slightly at the sound of my voice. He lifted his head, and when our eyes met, my heart clenched. His gaze was filled with something I couldn’t quite define—anger, pain, disbelief.